He Didn't Have to Be
by PCGirl
Summary: AU. Natalie lives in AC with her son when John comes into both of their lives. One shot.


Disclaimer: All characters are property of ABC/Disney--I'm just borrowing them and will return them to their correct upright position when I'm done with them.

A/N: Another song fic I wrote awhile ago. Song is by Brad Paisley. Ya'll enjoy! Until next time--PCGirl.

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Natalie glanced at her watch after finishing placing the gold hoops in her ears. "Why do you put yourself through all this when you know how it's going to end?" she asked herself as she walked to her small closet and grabbed her boots to wear.

She hated being set up on these stupid blind dates—they always ended the one of two ways—at the end of the night he either tried to get into her pants or she mentioned Sean and the guy ran the other way as if she'd just said she had the plague.

"Sean?" she called as she walked out of her bedroom and into his—smiling at seeing her five year old son sitting on the floor in the middle of a hot pursuit with his matchbox cars. "You ready to go spend the evening with Hayden? His mom said she was making spaghetti tonight," she said speaking of her neighbor in the apartment complex and her son who was also Sean's age.

"Ok," he said, abandoning the cars right before the got to the roadblock of books he'd set up.

Natalie was putting her coat on when she heard the knock on the door—wishing the man wasn't early and she'd had enough time to get Sean next door. He was her world, but she knew from experience that most men didn't want to immediately be saddled with a family.

As she opened the door she couldn't help but smile and get lost in the most brilliant blue eyes she'd probably ever seen, "Hi—John, right?"

John nodded, unable to find his voice for a moment, "You're Natalie?"

"Yeah—come on in," she said as she welcomed him into her small Atlantic City apartment. "Please excuse the mess—I didn't have a chance to clean up earlier," she said as she watched her son walk from his room, a small back pack with toys thrown over his shoulder. "You ready to go, buddy?" she asked as he nodded and walked towards the door.

"Hey—change of plans for tonight," said John as he kneeled down and messed the little boys hair up. "You want to go with me and your mom?"

"John—you don't have to do that," she said, silently loving the offer.

"Why not? When I was your age, I loved going ice skating—you ever been?"

"Charlie had his birthday party last month—it was lots of fun."

"Then ice skating it is—if it's ok with your mom," he asked, looking up at the woman who had taken his breath away and he watched her try and hide the fact that her eyes were quickly filling with tears. "Of course—she might be a little overdressed for skating—why don't you show me your room while she gets changed."

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"It was really thoughtful to change plans for my son," said Natalie as she skated timidly on the ice while she watched her son skate circles around them both.

"It wasn't anything. I'm not really one for frumpy restaurants anyways—give me a beer and a pool table and I'm good," smiled John.

"You play?" she smiled.

"Yeah—why—you any good?"

"I've won a few games," she laughed, her eyes sparkling and she couldn't help but thinking how right this felt.

"That'll have to be our next date then—that is if you want to have a next date," he said, hoping he wasn't jumping the gun too much.

"Yeah—I'd like that," she smiled and without a reasonable explanation took John's hand, and felt him squeeze back.

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"Goodnight, buddy," said Natalie as she kissed her son on the cheek and went to turn on his nightlight.

"Mama," he called out sleepily.

"Yeah?"

"I want to be a cop just like John when I grow up," he said before falling asleep.

"Ok, buddy," she said as she closed his bedroom door most of the way and walked out to where John sat on the couch. They'd been dating a few months and today John had surprised her by taking Sean on a tour of the police station so she could enjoy her day off and pamper herself. "He's out—and will probably be talking about getting to sit in a real police cruiser for the next month," she said, picking up the police hat that John had given her son awhile back—she laughed at thinking how he'd finally stopped wearing it to bed every night.

"He's a good kid," said John—remembering the conversation he'd had with the little boy this afternoon.

"_Sean—I've got to talk to you about something important," said John as he knelt in front of the little boy while he sat in the back of the police cruiser. "I've been thinking—and I was wondering—would you like it if I were your dad?"_

"_I have a dad—though mommy says I was really young the last time I saw him—he doesn't come around anymore, I think that makes her sad," he said as he looked down at the seat._

"_I know it does—and I know you have a dad, but I'd like to be yours also. It would mean that your mom and I get married. Do you know understand what that is?"_

"_Yeah—my Aunt Jess got married last year—it was a big party. You and mom are going to have a party?"_

_John laughed at his simple mind, "Yeah—a party—but I haven't told your mom yet. So don't say anything when we get home, ok?"_

"_Ok, John—after the party can I start calling you dad?"_

"_Sure, son," he said as he pulled the little boy into his arms and blinked back the tears._

"He kept saying he had a secret—you know anything about that, John?" she asked as she started picking up their plates from dinner and went into the kitchen.

"Uhm, yeah—I do—come here for a moment, Natalie," he said as he pulled the ring out of his coat pocket and was on his knees before she made it back to the couch.

"John," she said softly as she covered her mouth.

"I know it's soon—and you probably think I'm crazy, but I'm in love with you and Sean. I've been in love with you since the moment I met you both—and I want to give you everything you both deserve. Will you marry me, Natalie?"

"Yes," she shouted as she watched him slip the antique ring on her finger and then pick her up and pull her into a tight hug. She never noticed that her son was peeking through his doorway and the smile both him and John gave each other.

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_Fifteen Years Later_

"Look at him, John—he's looks like Sean did when he was little," said Natalie as she leaned against John while they both looked through the window of the nursery.

"I guess that's a good thing," joked Conner, their youngest as he stood next to them. "Oww!" he groaned after his sister, Ashlynn, elbowed him in the ribs.

"You two stop it," said Natalie as she saw Sean walk up towards them. "How is Kara doing?"

"Good—she's tired, but she was amazing mom. I've never seen someone so brave as her," he beamed as his mom gave him a big hug. "Isn't he beautiful, dad?" he asked as he walked up to the window, not noticing that his mom and siblings had left the two alone.

"He is—and he's going to be a strong McBain," he said proudly.

"I just hope I can be as amazing of a father as you were to me. I just—I don't know why you showed up in our lives when you did, but you were always there after that—I just want to be a good of a dad as you were to me—that you still are to me," he said, wiping his eyes and laughing at how silly it was to be teary eyed at such a wonderful event.

"You will be," said John as he stood behind his son and placed a strong hand on his shoulder—glad that he didn't turn around to see the tears he also had in his eyes—while they both watched Andrew John McBain sleep on the other side of the glass.


End file.
